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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Spinach Dhokla ~ Healthy & Savory Steamed Indian Cake

Having a good homemade breakfast made with fresh ingredients is a key to achieve healthy body. Before I used to rely on cereals and white breads smothered with nutella for my quick breakfasts but now no more of that junk to start my day. Instead I prefer healthy breakfast with does take some time and effort to prepare, but my body is loving this change. I am mostly full till lunch so no more mid morning binge eating, my digestive system is back on track, I feel energetic and the most important thing...I am loosing weight :)

Including green vegetables in the breakfast is the best way to add fiber in the diet. And weekly three to four times I include greens in some form or the other... green chutney...or a simple stir fry with rotis is the easiest way to sneak some greens into the body. But occasionally I make this Spinach Dhokla for a change. Dhoklas being steamed are very healthy and light on the stomach. And as gram flour ( besan ) is the main ingredient it makes a wonderful gluten free option as well. Have it with a spicy coconut chutney to kick start the day.

Ingredients:

Gram Flour (Besan) - 1 Cup

Spinach Puree - 1 Cup

Curd - 1/4 Cup ( Well Beaten )

Water - 1/4 Cup or Less

Ginger - 1 Inch Piece

Green Chillies - 2 or 3

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Lemon Juice - 1 Tbsp

Sugar - 1 Tbsp

Salt - To Taste

Fruit Salt - 1 Tsp

For Tempering:

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Mustard - 1 Tsp

Sesame Seeds - 2 Tsp

Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs ( Optional )

Asafoetida - A Generous Pinch

Water - 3 Tbsp

Procedure :

Make puree of spinach by blanching the leaves along with stalks and grind it fine in a mixer along with ginger and green chilies . Puree should be around 1 cup. I used a medium sized spinach bunch. Do not throw away the stalks as they add more fiber.

In a wide bowl take gram flour and add spinach puree, curd and oil. Mix well. Add water according to requirement. The batter should be of dropping consistency, neither too thin nor too thick.

Now add in salt, sugar and lemon juice and mix well so that there are no lumps in the batter.

Let the batter sit for around 15 minutes. Meanwhile grease a steamer plate and keep ready.

I steam the batter in my rice cooker. But any kind of steamer will work fine. Even a pressure cooker without putting whistle can be used.

Now add fruit salt ( Eno ) in the batter and mix well once without much beating. Immediately pour the batter in the greased plate and keep it for steaming.

Steam on high in the steamer for around 15-20 minutes, check by inserting a knife in the middle of the cake. If the knife comes out clean the dhokla is ready...else steam further for 5 minutes.

Take out the plate from the steamer and let it cool for 10 minutes before inverting the dhokla onto another plate.

Prepare tempering by heating oil in a frying pan. Add asafoetida and mustard, once mustard starts crackling add in sesame seeds and curry leaves. Take out pan from the fire and carefully add water in the tempering. The oil will start spluttering so being careful is important. Adding water is necessary as it helps in keeping the dhokla soft and moist.

Spread this tempering on top of the dhokla and cut the dhokla into square pieces.

Your spinach Dhokla against the back ground colour of your blog is looking absolutely amazing. Adding Soinach to Dhokla - have never thought of that every Raji. Do they have Spinach Dhokla traditionally or is it your own creation?

I think Gujarati's traditionally make the yellow khaman dhokla...I recently started dieting and while devising diet plan together with my dietitian this was one of breakfast option that came up to include greens in my diet. I am now really hooked to it and make it often.